The Third Time's the Charm
by Whispered Rhiannon
Summary: AU KJ GCC BV. Lily and Derrick were cast out by an old witch's last spell. In order to break it, they must now help mortals find true love three times! This is not your typical high school story! Repost of a three canon couple get together. AN inside.
1. Prologue and Author Introduction

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own and did not create DBZ or its characters. Any original characters are mine and are not to be used without written permission._

_I know that a few of the people who'll be reading this will have either one of these two reactions. What are you doing here after three plus years? Why are you plagiarizing this story, I've read bits of it before! In an attempt to answer these questions as well as some others there will be an extended author's note before the actual prologue._

_Over the past few years I've been going through a great deal of pain, physical and mental, mostly due to a chronic illness. My interest in watching the actual DBZ series has waned considerably over the years, because action has never really been that important to me. However, the love of fan fiction and the characters never left me. It was therapy for me to write, and I was quite young then, very insecure about my writing and I admit, rather bad. It was also therapy for me to read them, and I enjoy reading to this day. But the urge to write came back to me. Stories, like this one, kept bouncing around in my head and just wouldn't go away, so I knew that I just had to continue them. And so we are here, back at the beginning, back at one of my pet projects. I was originally known as Sweet Sharie, and I started The Third Time's the Charm back in 2001. I hope you will enjoy this updated, renewed, revised and better written version of this little tale. _

_As one final note, I would like to personally thank the readers for their support in the past, particularly Pocket Mouse. Your love of this story, to the point of keeping it on your favorite list really touched me. It's also what gave me the extra little to come work on this. Thank you for caring so much - WR_

**Prologue:**

_This story is a tale of love found, lost, and then found again. This is the thing that most faerie tales claim to be. This is what little girls are always giggling about behind their hands. This is the thing dreams are made of. This is the thing that fuels all great passions in life. This is the greatest passion of all. This is love, _true _love; love beyond time, beyond reason, beyond belief. Fated love, with destined players to act out this passionate scene. This is their _real _story. _

_As all stories must start at the very beginning, so must this one. Long ago in the faerie realm, there were two forbidden lovers. This tale of fate and fortune begins in their foolishness._

_Lily was the most beautiful faerie in the entire realm. Her silken locks shone the richest rosy color, her eyes, of the sky, a deep dark blue. Her skin, unmarked by blemish, glowed creamy white in the sunlight. Hers was a face that one could look at forever, for it went beyond the natural immortal beauty; she captured your heart with one look at you from under the long black lashes that framed her limitless, piercing eyes. She also lacked a failing often found in the breathtakingly gorgeous; her mind was bright and sharp, not devoid of original thought._

_Derrick was an absolutely stunning specimen of all that could be handsome in a male faerie. His long hair was the color of endless midnight and his eyes sparkled with the clear green of the forest in springtime. His body rippled when he moved with the lean muscles that came from working as a servant or farmhand in the lands and houses of the more powerful; Derrick was born of a low level faerie, who was forced to send his oldest child to work to help them survive in the often cutthroat world of theirs._

_Lily sneaked into the forest one morning to bathe in one of the secreted pools she had found. Merely a victim of chance, Derrick found her there when he passed the pond on one of his early morning walks. Though it was unseemly for a commoner to spy one of royal blood in such a vulnerable position, she did not grow angered with him. They stayed at the pool longer than they should of, much to the displeasure of Derrick's bosses and Lily's tutors, but they promised to meet again. They knew the harmony that both felt in the presence of the other made this meeting anything but ordinary. They had many meetings at the secret pool, and eventually they feel deeply in love. They knew they could never be married in the eyes of their kin, so they devised a plan. _

_There lived on the outskirts of their realm, an older faerie who had delved deeper in the occult magicks, and therefore knew more about the old ways and spells than any other. They knew that some faeries had occasionally given up their immortal lives for those in the realm of mortals, though these were cursed by all and their names were banned from ever being used again. This faerie, or witch, as she was called by the rest of their kind, was the only one who had both the power and knowledge to grant them what they desired: to live happily as mortals on the mortal plane, and to be granted souls so that they could remain together even in death. But they also reasoned that she would not do such to any faerie, especially the king's daughter, without exacting some great price._

_So before they went to her with their request, the princess went to all the plants and flowers and trees. She told their story and in return, the plants and flowers and trees all wept tears of sorrow, which turned into flawless emeralds. The young lovers took these to the deviant faerie, Iris._

_The witch asked them why they wanted her to cast the spell, and they told her that she need not know their reason, and to take their offering as the price. The witch ignored their gems, and in return replied,_

"_It is not enough."_

_The princess again went out into the world and told their story, this time to the oceans and brooks and pools. They all wept, and in return the princess and her paramour had sapphires with which to pay the old witch. She again asked why they wanted the spell, and again the lovers refused to give her a reason. The witch declined once more and said,_

"_It is not enough."_

_So, a third time the princess went out into the world and told their sad tale. Her listeners, the sun and the moon, also wept in their sympathy, and their tears hardened into the gem most prized by mortal beings: diamonds. Now the King had caught wind of his daughter's strange travels, and this time when she left the castle at dusk, he followed her to the hut where the witch Iris dwelt. He saw as his daughter and her lover asked her to make them mortal, and offered her all they had, the diamonds. Hearing their plea, he burst in the door, intent on killing both Derrick and Iris for their supposed treachery. Lily begged her father not to kill her one true love. Hearing this, the witch cried out,_

"_Foolish children! If you had told me that love was your reason, I would have cast the spell in an instant! Your foolishness has cost all our lives, as well as your love! As punishment, I cast you out of this place, to a place between and yet beyond the fae realm and the mortal realm. You each shall wander alone, devoid of all companionship and love!"_

_Then she cast her spell._

_When mortals find true love three,_

_Only then will you be free._

_The King desperately tried to deflect her spell, but it was too late, and it was cast. Lily and Derrick, ripped from each other's arms and thrown upon the earth, were cursed to wander forever, alone and loveless, until they helped three pairs of destined couples find true love. It was a hopeless situation, for it is often said that mortal man does not know the wonders of true love, and will be blind to it until it is too late._

_It all changed three hundred years later. Eyes of limitless blue, sparkling with now forgotten tears, widened as the owner now felt the sign she had only dreamed would actually come._

"_They're here..."_


	2. Our Players

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own and did not create DBZ or its characters. Any original characters are mine and are not to be used without written permission._

_In order to make this more easy to read, I'm going to continue with my original intention, and provide a cast list. It can be hard in a story to make sense of everything, especially when you come into characters lives part way through. And so, I present, our main players in this little drama. Others will be held back to prevent spoilage of later chapters, but these are the main ones, and those connected to them. - WR_

**Our Players:**

_The Boys_

**Orinji Kuririn**: _The Artist_. It should be duly noted that Kuririn is deathly shy around girls, and this stems probably from his mother, who is the self-proclaimed "most successful matchmaker in the city." Kuririn comes from a rather rich family, due to the fact that his father is a reputed architect. His family consists mainly of his parents and his five year old sister Kala, who can be described simply as a petulant brat. The last member of his family is his Grandfather Yukio, who maintains a shrine not too far from where Kuririn lives. This is the reason that Kuririn shaves his head, because he is training to take over the family staffed temple. In addition to his talents in martial arts, which he was trained in almost from birth by his grandfather, he excels at music. He is accomplished in the playing of both the piano and the guitar, as well as singing and songwriting. This makes him not only shy, but sensitive, because it causes him to spend greater amounts of time alone with his thoughts.

**Son Goku**: _The Jock. _Goku really isn't as stupid as most people like to make him out to be. He isn't on the same level as Buruma, but he definitely isn't a slobbering Turret's patient. The thing that gains most of his attention is sports, where he is the captain of all the big contact sports teams at the high school, which include but are not limited to football, hockey and lacrosse. Goku lives alone with his grandfather, Gohan, while his older brother Radditzu is busy at college. Goku's parents both died in a freak plane accident soon after he was born, so his grandfather is the only parent he's ever known. They live simply in Gohan's old house, although Goku and his brother are quite well off, due to the fact that their mother was an heiress. If you want to know more about this, you will simply have to read. Goku is also a martial artist, and trains mostly with his brother and his two best friends. His real name is Kakkarott, but he prefers to be called Goku, his great-grandfather's name, because in classical Japanese style, the child inherits part of the parent's name. He considers Gohan his _real_ parent, partially because he doesn't remember his own, and partially because he resents them for not being more careful with their plane, and orphaning him and his brother. His grandfather allows it because it is seen as respect.

**Ouji Vejiita**: _The Loner. _Vejiita suffers from his usual chronic affliction: a bad attitude coupled with a jaded world outlook. He's quite smart, and definitely could rival Buruma for top slot in the academic totem pole, if he wasn't constantly causing problems for himself. He often gets himself involved in gang fights simply for the sport of beating people up, although he isn't in one. He seems to use school simply as a place to come to escape his stressful home, because he doesn't participate in sports either, being more content to avoid others at all costs. He prefers to pursue his martial arts training alone and without any known teachers except his mother. Vejiita's family owns a large technical corporation which was originally part of Briefs and Ouji Inc., but split after internal bickering. Vejiita's overworked father expects him to take over the company when Vejiita Sr. retires. Their family is somewhat richer than Kuririn's, but their family only joined high society when Vejiita's grandfather started the company with Buruma's over 70 years ago. Vejiita's mother died in a mysterious accident at Capsule Corporation when he was just six years old and resulted in a feuding of families. He basically raised his twin younger brothers, Cumba and Toma. He fears losing his loved ones like he lost his beloved mother, so he keeps them at bay.

Kuririn and Goku have been friends practically from birth, mostly due to the fact that they complement each other's personalities, and because their grandfathers are also friends who studied under Kamesennin. Vejiita started talking to them while Goku and Kuririn were in kindergarten, because they were the only children not afraid of him and they've been friends ever since. None of them seems to remember why they're at odds with the girls except Vejiita. They've lived in West City their entire lives. Goku and Kuririn are both seventeen, while Vejiita is the lone eighteen year old in this story. This is because when his mother died he basically dropped out of school, and was kept back a year. Vejiita and Goku are _not_ Saiyajins, so don't try and reference that to anything. They're just strong growing boys...

_The Girls_

**Gero Juuachi**: _The Fighter_. Juuhachi would be a friendlier girl if she hadn't met with so much tragedy in her early life. Her father, a certain eccentric scientist Dr. Jerrif Gero, left their mother soon after she and her twin brother Juunana, were born. Her mother worked two jobs to support her children, receiving no help from her rich family, who disowned her when she left to be with Jerrif. She recently came into some money when her father died, which has allowed her to send the twins to their expensive prep school, West City Academy. Juuhachi is bold, brash and tomboyish. She's also an accomplished martial artist, although she doesn't compete in tournaments like her brother does; hers was simply for survival on the harsh streets of her youth. She could probably beat up any boy in school, except the boys, her brother and Piccolo. Juuhachi has a deeply rooted fear of abandonment, which makes her tough as nails, especially in relationships.

**Mau ChiChi**: _The Princess._ ChiChi is the ultimate blue blooded princess. Her family is very distantly related to the royal family, and her rich lifestyle has pampered her from day one. Even though she is supposedly spoiled, she's quite nice to people, more specifically, the ones she likes. To those she doesn't, let's just say she can be quite violent, although she has little training to back up her mouth, due to the fact that her father brought her up to be the traditional girl. She is a good little girl, a cheerleader who gets straight A's and has more extracurricular activities than one could count. Desperately, she wants to escape her chauvinist pig of a father before he breaks her spirit, like he did to her long-dead mother. Her only sibling is a brother, Julian, who takes after his father in every way. Thankfully for ChiChi, he's away at Law School, poised for a career in politics. ChiChi has spoilt ass for a boyfriend who she wishes she could break it off with, but it would upset her father.

**Briefs Buruma**: _The Rebel. _Buruma is an absolutely unequal genius, and heiress to the Capsule Corporation fortune. She has knowledge beyond her years, yet she wishes to have a normal childhood, so she attends a semi-regular school. She moved to West City after living in the country surrounding it for the first four years of her life. She's affectionately nicknamed "Speed Demon" and is known for her love of fast mobiles, be it auto or aerial. Whether she's burning it up as the track team's star runner or on the race track with her motorcycles and cars, one thing is obvious. She is trying to outrun something, though no one can determine what, for she has apparently lived a charmed life. She's gone through a multitude of boyfriends, and all claim to have taken her virginity. She's currently involved with Yamucha, the baseball team's star pitcher and hitter. It seems though, that all these little boys are merely a diversion.

The three girls have been friends for as long as they can remember, although Juuhachi hasn't always gone to the same school as Buruma and ChiChi. They've all managed to attract the most pathetic and lowlife males, and this in turn has turned them off to the "Inferior Sex" completely. They're extremely mistrustful and cynical when it comes to love and men. They have all made a pact never to fall in love and end up like ChiChi's mother, who was crushed by the one she loved. They are all seventeen.

_Our Matchmakers_

**Princess Lily of Faerie**: Lily's purpose in the story should be fairly obvious; she's there to help the boys with their love lives. She's also a convenient form of comic relief. She gives insight into the female side for her charges, and acts as an adviser to them. She can be quite pushy and irritating at times and also likes to play tricks, but she has a good heart. She stays with each boy in turn, helping them find the love of his life.

**Derrick of Faerie**: Derrick's purpose in the story is also fairly obvious; he's the counterpart to Lily and helps the girls with their love lives. He provides a darker version of comic relief. He's a quiet sort, but he's unbelievably sneaky and can be very vengeful if provoked. He's quite protective of his charges, probably because on some level they represent his lost love. He stays with each of the girls in turn, proving for an interesting arrangement.

_Supporting Cast _

**Daimaou Piccolo (Piccolo of Namek)**: Piccolo is a friend and sparring partner to the guys. He's not with them all the time due to the fact that he studies and trains very hard. He is a Namekian in this tale, but his people are not as gifted. They simply came here when their planet was destroyed eons ago. Most of them are normal citizens, and although they reproduce through a form similar to parthenogenesis, they are hermaphedites who can change their sex at will. They do appear male from a distance all the time, though, and this causes most of them to choose to be male, at least on Earth. Piccolo's interesting role shall grow later on in this story.

**Gero Juunana**: Juunana is Juuhachi's hard twin brother. He's very protective of his sister and he hates Yamucha with a passion, mostly because he can't stand to see women treated like cattle and because Yamucha irritates his superior mind. Juunana is extremely obsessed with cars, particularly his vintage, cherry-red Mustang convertible.

**Unigami** **Yamucha**: Yamucha is Buruma's loser boyfriend, and he cheats on her frequently, probably because the only time she really shows she cares is when he does. It's also because Yamucha has been taught boys have needs, and Buruma won't sleep with him, so he looks elsewhere. Yamucha is the son of Kamesennin's adoptive son, so perhaps something rubbed off. His father is quite rich because not only does he run a dojo, he's also been involved in many movies. Yamucha likes to think he's a bad boy and a streetfighter like Vejiita, but he isn't, and he doesn't study either, so he'll most likely mooch off his parents and wife or live off his brawns. Yamucha spends most of his time playing around with his baseball groupies, and posing, flexing his muscles in a bored sort of way.

**Tsuru Tenshinhan**: Tenshinhan is Yamucha's best friend, although he's got a much better personality. He works as a part-time mechanic at the race track where Buruma races. His family is moderately well off. Currently he's dating Launch and attending West City High School.

**Ranchi Launch**: Launch is Tenshinhan's girlfriend as well as being Buruma's racetrack friend, where she's an accomplished racer, second only to Buruma herself. Launch suffers from a curse that afflicts all the women in her line and was placed on her family long ago, called Kushami, which causes her to turn into an alternate, more violent form when she sneezes. She also attends West City High School.

**Tsuru Choazu**: Choazu is Tenshinhan's younger brother. He's thirteen years old and friends with his counterparts.

**Daimaou Dende (Dende of Namek)**: Dende is Piccolo's younger brother. He's thirteen years old and friends with his counterparts.

**Orinji Kala**: Kala is Kuririn's evil five year old sister, who has a penchant for lying.

**Ouji Cumba and Toma**: Cumba and Toma are Vejiita's younger twin brothers. They're thirteen years old and friends with their counterparts.

**Son Radditzu**: Radditzu is Goku's older brother. He's quite popular with the ladies, and is attending college to become an Engineer, like his and Goku's father. Radditzu has a rather playful personality, and he enjoys having fun when he isn't occupied with work. He turned twenty-one the summer before this story.

**Mau Julian**: Julian is ChiChi's annoying and chauvinistic older brother, who is twenty-three. He's also a golden boy pansy, so it all works out in the end.

_The Parents_

**Orinji Yotan and Mai**: Kuririn's parents. His father is an architect and his mother a confirmed matchmaker.

**Dr. Gero Jerrif and Juukyuu**: Juuhachi and Juunana's parents. Jerrif left his family long ago to pursue his first love: science. Juukyuu brought up the twins herself and put herself through college. She's now employed as a nurse practitioner.

**Son Bardock and Taanipu**: Goku's parents. Both of them died while he was still a baby when the plane they were piloting crashed.

**Mau Gyuu and Morwena**: ChiChi's parents. Her father is a chauvinist and her mother is dead. Anything else has been or will be explained.

**Dr. Ouji Vejiita and Matsutake**: Vejiita's parents. Vejiita Sr. is mostly nice but pressured and overworked. Matsutake was killed at an accident at Capsule Corporation.

**Dr. Briefs Hanzubon and Lenora**: Buruma's parents. Lenora is a socialite from the western part of the continent, which allows for her coloring and personality. Dr. Briefs is a gifted scientist.


	3. The Dare

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own and did not create DBZ or its characters. Any original characters are mine and are not to be used without written permission._

_Here we are, this is where everything begins to spiral haphazardly into place. Trust me, I do have an idea of where this is going. I was going to cut this story into three smaller ones, but I think it'll flow better if its one long story. This takes place over their senior year in high school, and chopping it into pieces and labeling it for each couple would not allow enough cohesion. There is not just _one _couple at a time. It'll be developing gradually until the end of the year, where we'll have our grand finale! Kuririn and Juuhachi, will be getting together first, however, followed closely by Goku and ChiChi and then Vejiita and Buruma. Each couple will have one third of the story dedicated to them, referred to as Emerald, Sapphire and Diamond, symbolic of the three gems that the witch Iris refused. Just because, a couple, which may not be your favorite, is being focused upon, doesn't mean that any of the others will not be making any progress! So now, we will journey to West City Academy, home of the Dragons. Oh, and did I forget to mention a plethora of irritated teachers and a principal who's rumored to be a dominatrix?_

**Chapter One**_: The Dare_

"All right class, settle down, settle down!" The teacher cleared her throat once, twice, three times. No response. The spoiled little brats that she had to teach kept right on with their meaningless prattle. She gathered her lungs full of air and released a yell that probably could have shattered Gibraltar. "**_I said settle down you little brats!_**" Instantly, the room calmed and was completely silent, and except for a couple paper airplanes that had crashed into the far wall, one could hear a pin drop.

Kuririn sighed. It was going to be a long day. Talk about bad luck. He had managed to get good teachers for the past three years. The stereotypical new teacher, the kind that was sweet and held your hand through the entire year. But this year, it was just his luck to get Language first period, especially with Ketting-san. Talk about a slave driver.

"Since this is your first class of your senior year, I'm going to go easy on you. This is _definitely _the last time you'll get a break." She smiled a devilish little smile, bordering on the sadistic and insane. Kuririn began to fidget nervously in his seat. "There will be no formal assignment, and therefore no homework. We're going to study local mythology today."

_Ahhh, at least fate smiles upon me early in the morning. No homework! _Kuririn smiled and sat up straighter, unfortunately bumping the elbow of the person to his left, who in turn lurched and nudged Vejiita.

"I don't know why we have to listen to this crap, its not like there's any truth to it. It's just a bunch of faerie tales someone made up to occupy the minds of children and feeble-minded morons," Vejiita spat, shoving Goku back, while the recipient of his displeasure simply smiled and closed his eyes.

"Gee Vejiita, I kind of think it's pretty cool," offered Goku in an attempt to placate him. "I mean there's dragons and knights and damsels in distress..." He trailed off dreamily.

"Like I said, it's for idiots." Vejiita smirked, the left corner of his mouth inching up in sardonic pleasure.

Goku was about to say something else, or worse, Kuririn feared, get Vejiita in a headlock and give him a noogie. Quickly he stepped in.

"Hey guys, at least we don't have any homework..." He looked over Goku's shoulder at Vejiita's face, willing whatever was merciful and in the heavens to get them to shut up. He did _not_ want any problems this year.

Thankfully, Vejiita looked away from them and out the window, mumbling "I guess I can put up with it for that..."

Kuririn sighed happily. All was right with the world and God smiled upon them, at least momentarily. At this moment, however, the old bird decided it was time to pull the puppet strings, and Kuririn could almost imagine God cackling manically and dangling little Kuririn, Goku and Vejiita-shaped puppets from his clawed hands. He always imagined God as looking like Piccolo, for some odd reason. He abandoned this thought at turned his eyes toward the front of the room because Buruma had sauntered into class, accompanied by Juuhachi and ChiChi. It was too bad that he wasn't the only one to notice them.

"Hey Kakkarott, Baldy, look, its the Slut Triplets!" Vejiita stated none too softly.

"What are you doing here late, Briefs-san and company?!" the teacher demanded angrily. Someone _always _seemed to pull this crap. Every year, in never failed. This time though, she would have a little payback. She smirked.

"We got sent to the wrong classroom, Ketting-san. We're sorry for the trouble, but it really wasn't our fault," Buruma smiled sweetly at the older woman.

"Whatever." Ketting Arianna smiled even wider, if that was possible. "Go over there and sit behind Ouji-san, Son-san and Orinji-san." She knew of the animosity between the two cliques. It was impossible not to.

"But..but..we can't sit by **_them_** Ketting-s--"

"I told you to sit there Briefs-san, or did I not make myself clear. Sit there, **_now_**, or would you prefer to get detention in the first period of the new year?" Ketting Arianna interrupted smoothly, daring them to rebel.

They made their way angrily to their seats at the back of the room, Juuhachi sitting behind Kuririn, ChiChi behind Goku, and Buruma behind Vejiita.

"Oi! Crome Dome! Sit down a bit more, I can't see!" Juuhachi forcefully demanded.

Kuririn wondered at the request, since he was only about four and a half feet tall, but complied without questioning out loud.

Juuhachi began reapplying her lipstick, using his shaved and waxed head as a sort of archaic replacement for a mirror, and Buruma and ChiChi snickered into their palms.

"What do you find so amusing, women," Vejiita turned around in his seat, "Apart from the fact you couldn't hope to attract any sort of male with your slovenly appearance."

Buruma ignored him, smoothed the mini-skirt that stood in place of the usual knee-length skirt of the uniform and quipped, "The fact that your buddy is bald at the age of seventeen? How unbelievably pathetic. I mean, how invirile can you get?"

Kuririn began to flush, this was a sore spot for him. He hated the fact that he had to shave his head, but it was part of the training in some way, and eventually he could let his hair grow back. But still, that was very low...

"Calm down Kuririn," Goku grinned good naturedly, "Just because it's her time of the month doesn't mean you have to let her get you down." He laughed heartily, and pulled out a six-inch sub, his pre-midmorning snack.

All the girls flushed and ChiChi looked as if she was going to retort, but was preemptively cut off by a screech from Ketting-san.

"Son-san, must I remind you **_again_** that there is absolutely **_no eating_** allowed in this class?!"

"Really? Oh wow, gosh, I'm sorry..." Goku flashed her his usual clueless grin coupled with a pair of apologetic eyes. She sighed in response, while everyone else in class rolled their eyes in amusement.

"Don't let it happen again." She cleared her throat once more. "Ok, class, today we're going to be studying the local legend known as "Love Lost."

"How romantic..." Buruma inserted happily, softly enough so that only those around her could hear it. ChiChi propped her chin up on her palm and looked pleased. Vejiita gagged loudly and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

Ketting-san went on as though she had heard nothing, which was actually true for once. "It's about Lily, the Faerie Princess, her beloved, Derrick, and their tragic end. Can anyone tell me what happened?"

Vejiita was dying to comment, but Goku clamped one hand over Vejiita's mouth just in the nick of time, and shook his head, mumbling something about them not needing detention for the first day of school. Vejiita elbowed Goku in the ribs, causing Goku to yelp and let go of Vejiita.

"I know the story, Ketting-san," Kuririn announced suddenly, coming to the rescue of his two companions, one glaring, the other staring wide-eyed. _Oh god I hope I don't blow this._

"You're going to tell it Crome Dome? This is going to be one great joke!" Juuhachi snickered behind him, fueling his stage fright even more.

"Go on Orinji-san," Ketting-san stated, ignoring Juuhachi.

"Ummmm, well....Lily and Derrick, meet and fall in love. But they can't marry in the Faerie World because Lily is the Princess, and Derrick is just a commoner. So they make a plan to become mortal. So they go to this witch who can make them mortal. But first Lily tells their story to the trees and whatnot, and they cry and their tears become emeralds. So they take these to the witch, as an offering, but she refuses. They go a second time, bringing sapphires, the tears of all the oceans and rivers and whatever, and she says no again, so the third time they go bringing diamonds, the tears of the sun and the moon." Kuririn had heard the story many times before, and so although he was nervous, he was able to accurately relate what had happened, although not as eloquently as he'd hoped.

"Diamonds..." murmured Buruma dreamily.

"Feh." Vejiita snorted. "Only a stuck-up snob like _you_ would dream about stuff like that."

"Are **_you_**," she pointed one long finger at Vejiita, "Calling **_me_**, a snob, you lowlife asshole?!" she screeched, eyes narrowing.

"Yes," Vejiita purred evenly, one eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Why, why _you_, **_you_**..." For once, Buruma seemed at a loss for words as the two glared at each other. Their staring match was cut short when Ketting-san interrupted.

"If you two would stop flirting, Ouji-san, Briefs-san, perhaps we could _conceivably_ hear the myth, and you two could carry out your little courting-ritual on your _own_ time, if at _all_ possible," she mocked sarcastically.

"Like I would ever go for her! Her father probably did some weird experiments on her and that's why her hair is blue!"

"Like I would ever go for him, he's such a delinquent, he'd get me arrested!"

Buruma and Vejiita blushed and spoke heatedly at the same time, their emotions and actions both the same as they forgot each other to face their mutual enemy. Ketting-san nodded at Kuririn.

"So, anyway, they go the third time to the witch, but this time the king, Lily's father, follows. He hears Lily asking to be turned into a human, and he barges in and is gonna kill Derrick and the witch. Lily begs her father not to kill her true love," Kuririn continued. "And then the witch said--"

"**_How dare you Vejiita!_**" A large smack was heard, the result of Buruma having cracked Vejiita hard over the head with her purse.

At this point, a vein was starting to pop. Ketting-san angrily barked her order to Kuririn. "Orinji-san, get up here **_now_**, so we can hopefully avoid anymore interruptions. The interruptions should **_know_** that if there is **_one_** more peep from any of them until the end of the period, that they shall **_all_** be getting Friday detention, with **_Principal Nolan-san!_**"

All boys in the class shuddered at the thought of any time spent with the whip-wielding woman, who always wore high leather heels. Many rumors about her other 'job' as a dominatrix at some kinky club in Orange City were supposedly true.

Kuririn walked to the front of the classroom, and stood next to the teacher's desk. Ketting-san flipped off the lights and pulled down the blinds, plunging the small room into shadow. Fumbling in her desk for a moment, she handed Kuririn a flashlight, smiling at him coolly.

"The scary part comes now, I know..."

Kuririn twitched nervously and decided to end this as quickly as possible. He held the flashlight under his mouth and began to talk in an eerie voice, though he sounded incredibly corny to his own ears. "Then the witch said 'Foolish children, if you had told me that love was the reason, I would have cast the spell at once!' And to punish them, she cast them out of the Faerie World, but they didn't become mortals. They were stuck between the worlds, destined to wander alone for all eternity. She cast them out using this spell,

_When mortals find true love three,_

_Only then will you be free._

Lily and Derrick were thrown into the cold place between the worlds, and would remain there until they helped mortals find true love three times. They say that faeries live under hills. They also say that the old cemetery is on the very hill that Lily and Derrick lived. They say that if you go to the cemetery during a full moon, you can see Lily, calling out to her lover and searching for the three sets of mortals that will set them free. Also, on a full moon, you should be able to see Derrick wandering the shrine near the old cemetery. My grandfather takes care of the shrine."

"Has he ever seen them?" gulped a particularly cowardly girl who was apparently extremely sensitive to atmosphere.

"He's seen both of them. He told me other things about them. They say that Lily is jealous of lovers, and if you go there and flaunt your happiness to her, she will take your love away. The only day you may go with your lover, is June first. This is the anniversary of the day that Lily met Derrick, and so instead of cursing you, she blesses your love. It is said that couples that do this are gifted with eternal happiness and stay together forever. Derrick is supposedly some sort of servant of death, and will come at the end of each person's life to take them to the otherworld. Someday, they say..._he_ will come....for **_you!_** **_Mwahahahaha!_**"

A girl suddenly screamed, and Kuririn, completely bewildered, looked around with his flashlight to see who it was.

Ketting-san switched on the lights. ChiChi was half sitting, half lying on the cold tile floor, her legs spread awkwardly in the air. Kuririn was briefly happy that she wore pants. Goku had sneaked behind her while the girls were occupied with the story, and pulled the chair out from under her. Both Vejiita and Goku were laughing hysterically, and for once Vejiita had taken Goku up on the offer of a high-five. Buruma was repeatedly smacking Vejiita over the head with her purse, but he either didn't seem to notice, or didn't care. Juuhachi punched Goku in the nose. Ketting-san was apparently frozen solid and unmoving in her rage, and probably about to give them all detentions, when the bell rang, signalling the end of the period and saving them all.

* * *

At lunch, Goku, Vejiita, Kuririn and Piccolo all sat at their designated table. Goku and Vejiita were unconciously competing in an incredibly deep and engrossing eating contest while Piccolo watched, disgusted, slowly sampling his water. Kuririn picked at his food, deep in thought.

_Man, Juuhachi seems to be getting prettier every year. I mean, today when she was punching Goku's face she looked absolutely breathtaking..._ Kuririn stopped suddenly. Most people looked insanely happy when actually landing a punch on Goku, and Juuhachi had done it a few times before. But never had he really thought of her as beautiful doing it. He slammed his fist down on the table, annoyed with himself. Amazingly, Vejiita and Goku's attention left their food and was directed solely on Kuririn, if only because his blow to the table caused their trays to slide a minuscule amount, a millimeter to be exact, in Kuririn's direction.

"Ey, Kur in, at's up ith oo?" inquired Goku curiously around a mouthful of food.

"Hey Goku, do you think you could attempt repeating that without your mouth full, I mean, God forbid you should stop eating for the two seconds required to say that, _or_ use good manners," muttered Piccolo sarcastically while he shuddered and rolled his eyes simultaneously.

_She's so beautiful, so attractive. Maybe if she was nicer to us or had a better attitude I might, **might**, like her more. _Kuririn's thoughts were cut short as the focus of them walked over to their table, flanked on either side by ChiChi and Buruma.

"Hey, you," ChiChi addressed Kuririn, "We wanna talk to you for a sec."

"Yeah," chimed in Juuhachi, "We got a proposition to make..."

"We want to go this Friday during the full moon and see if the legend is true," finished Buruma. "Your grandfather owns the shrine, you could easily get us in!"

"Now why on God's green earth would Baldy want to help _you_ bitches," Vejiita smirked. Whatever one could say about Vejiita, and one could say a lot, one couldn't say he wasn't loyal to his friends. They also couldn't say he didn't hate Buruma, ChiChi or Juuhachi with such a passion he would do anything, short of dressing in drag and parading across the green, drooling and drunken Unigame Yamucha in tow, to thwart them.

"Awwww, d'ya hear that girls? Oh, our poor little he-men are too scared to go to the cemetery at midnight! Poor wittle babies!" Buruma cooed mockingly. All three girls laughed raucously.

"We would too," Kuririn defended, "There's just no real reason to go through all the trouble of trying to prove that to you guys...err...girls..."

"Oooh, looks like old Kuririn here is finally starting to teethe!" Juuhachi jeered in her usual cool monotone. "God, you'd think guys who're martial artists and able to defend themselves wouldn't be such quivering cowards."

"Like you women would last two seconds out there," Vejiita retorted, an amused fire growing in his eyes. "You'd be screaming and running after two seconds." He paused dramatically, and his pitch rose from his usual rumbling baritone to a screechy falsetto. "**_Oh my god! My nail broke!_** **_The horror, the horror!_**" he squawked in quite a good impression of Buruma. Vejiita, Goku and Kuririn all laughed helplessly, clutching their stomachs as Piccolo looked on, bored, and pointedly sipped his water.

Buruma fumed silently for a minute, then grinned with a dangerous glint in her eye. "Alright, if you're not scared of the dark, I challenge you, Vejiita." She chose her wording carefully so Vejiita couldn't refuse. "All three of you meet us there before midnight on Friday, and we'll _really_ see who's scared and who's _not. _I **_dare_** you." She grinned widely, showing two rows of pure white teeth.

"You're on," Vejiita stated calmly, then looked over, or rather _tried_ to look over the crowd towards the other side of the cafeteria. "Isn't that your little boy toy over there with Meichii on his lap?" he asked innocently, or as innocently as one could expect of him.

"**_What?! Meichii?! I'm gonna get that little flat-chested bimbo whore once and for all!_**" Buruma rushed off, closely followed by ChiChi and Juuhachi, but only after they glared at all three boys.

"Works...every...time," Vejiita looked overly pleased with himself, and had he been a bird, would have probably preened.

All three turned back to their half-finished meal, and Piccolo resumed his millionth re-counting of the 1,294 ceiling tiles. Peace reined supreme for about three seconds, until a shrill scream came from the other side of the cafeteria.

"**_Vejiita! I'll get you for that!_**"

"We'll see..." mumbled Vejiita, still smirking with self-satisfaction.

Goku downed a two liter bottle of coke in two giant gulps, and then burped loudly. Vejiita's eyebrow twitched, and Piccolo glared at Goku out of the corners of his eyes. Kuririn simply wondered if Piccolo was going to start banging his forehead on the table even earlier than was normal in the year.


	4. I Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts!

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own and did not create DBZ or its characters. Any original characters are mine and are not to be used without written permission._

_I just noticed I left Radditzu out of the character list, and I'm rather ashamed of myself, so I added him to the list. I went back and fixed some typos too, I hope they weren't too noticeable. In any case, I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Many thanks to the four who reviewed, I enjoyed them very much. I'm sorry this chapter is so long, but I wanted to give you a closer look at everyone and their motives. If you'd like to be on the update mailing list for this and other stories, please say so either in your review, or send me an email saying such at _

**Chapter Two: **_I Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts!_

Juuhachi lay prone and spread-eagled on ChiChi's flowered comforter, ill at ease. Propping herself up on one arm, she ran her fingers down the dark blue pants of her uniform. ChiChi and Buruma chattered in the background, alternately staring at themselves in ChiChi's floor length mirror and rifling through her closet. Buruma wanted something sexy and that was definitely hard to find in ChiChi's closet. Juuhachi grimaced to herself. ChiChi's dad sure was a prick, but she could see the clothing angle. She didn't wear sexy clothing anymore, as she had when she first reached her teens. She'd wanted to prove herself all grown up, and since her mother was too busy working to take her out for new clothes, she'd simply pressed money into Juuhachi's palm and told her she'd have to shop for it herself. She still remembered the reactions she'd gotten. Perhaps that's why she preferred wearing the boy's uniform to school, it suited her well, and it kept more things covered. When she wanted more attention from the men she'd claimed, she was naked anyhow. It was best to be comfortable, and the cut of the suit fitted her boyish figure better than the pleated skirt and dress shirt.

"Hey Juu? Do'ya think you could help me coax our little prude into something a tiny bit more revealing. There's no sense not using all our God given gifts to win this bet..." Buruma pursed her lips as she stood, one hand on her hip, analyzing ChiChi's figure, which was clothed only in a bra from the waist up.

"I'm not a freaking doll for you to play with Buruma," ChiChi glared, crossing her arms over her full breasts in an attempt to hide them. She still was shy and awkward when it came to her body, even though she'd gained most of her figure more than four years previous. Her father didn't help much. "If you want someone to do your sick, manipulative mind trip on, why don't you try Yamucha. I mean, isn't that what he's around for?"

Buruma rolled her eyes. "Of course Chi, but it gets so boring yanking him around. I like fresh meat once in awhile you know. You can only say you're waiting for _true_ love for so long to one guy before he tries to pull that blue balls crap." She shuddered and picked a tiny bit of fuzz off one of ChiChi's sweaters. "He's just as dumb as the rest of them, they think that if they bide their time they'll get in my pants," she snorted and finished mockingly, "and it'll be _so_ incredibly explosive because I'm _such_ a sex kitten."

ChiChi sat on the bed next to Juuhachi, crumpling the blue uniform pants she wore that were the girls alternative to a skirt. She laughed somewhat nastily. "Oh what wouldn't I give to see the reaction on Yamucha's face if he knew what you really are, Little Miss Virginity."

Juuhachi smirked. "I don't think he knows what a virgin _is_, I mean, one can only bed whores for so long before they lose understanding of the concept!"

"Eh, enough about that pathetic dipshit," Buruma waved a closely-clipped manicured hand, "he's a man, and men in general sicken me."

"You're preaching to the choir there," Juuhachi drawled sardonically, while ChiChi nodded in agreement.

"But if I know anything," Buruma continued, ignoring the proverbial peanut gallery, "it's how men work. They're totally ruled by their hormones, especially at this age. All it takes is a low cut shirt here, a little show of cleavage there, a bit of fawning and fluttering your eyelashes like a doe-eyed moron, and they're putty in your hands."

"So what you're saying," ChiChi coughed discreetly. "Is that we act like sluts, we win the bet, and we count on them not saying anything and ruining our-- my reputation?"

"Ahhh my little ChiChi," purred Buruma, "How little you know of them. Vejiita'll never admit to anything, especially after they lose. It's a win-win situation, at least for our side." She cackled. "You know how much I enjoy one-upping that little troll..."

"Beh, you're entirely too obsessed with that creep." Juuhachi rose from the bed and stripped off her shirt.

"If anyone's obsessed, it's _you_, Juu," mumbled ChiChi, "You're always staring at that little bald midget out of the corners of your eyes..."

Juuhachi opened and closed her mouth, but no words came forth, though to ChiChi it looked a lot like 'fuck you.'

"Oh come off it Juu, we _know_ you like him, you've had this little thing for him since ninth grade when you started dating that little cocksucker Toshi," Buruma paused, "knowing you, you're what turned him completely gay with all that dominance shit. He wasn't emotionally strong enough for it, poor bastard." She frowned. "Why do you always take the pretty ones?!" she whined, apparently to God, as she stared forlornly at the ceiling.

Juuhachi guffawed loudly. "You're just sorry you never got to play with him yourself! I never even slept with him. He never was _anything _but gay! Besides, I am soooo over men." She followed Buruma's example by choosing entirely black clothing, to better camouflage herself. "You sleep with them once and they expect you to sleep with them _again_! And then when you tell them you were just using them for a quick lay they get all pissed off. Eh, such hypocrites, its not like they were doing anything else themselves. No, wait, I retract that, men want quick no-attachment lays _and_ an adoring living doll that'll bend to all their commands and fawn over them to the point of insanity." She finished dressing quickly in a pair her pants and one of Buruma's severely tight tops, although it was much looser around Juuhachi's bust line, and proceeded to brush her shoulder-length blond hair till it shone.

"Now Chi, you can't really expect to be a slut in a turtleneck, honestly...what does your father think you are? A leper?" Buruma scowled as she rummaged through the clothes she had brought and tried to coax ChiChi into a tight leather tube top that looked more like a giant pastie than a blouse.

Juuhachi smiled softly to herself. _Kuririn _is _kind of cute, even if he _is _a 'little bald midget' as ChiChi says... I just really don't see myself with him in my minds eye. I mean, God, I really can't see myself thinking about him that way, _**period**_. I can't believe I'm actually following this train of thought, its like my brain took a left turn at self-restraint and went and had a head on collision with starry-eyed mush head. The last time I was mooning over some boy was before... She_ stopped. _And on top of everything, he's friends with Goku and Vejiita. Goku isn't too terrible, he's just a moron, but Vejiita...he's probably the biggest asshole ever to grace the world with his presence. I know I shouldn't hold that against Kuririn, but really, why would he be friends with Vejiita if he was any different from him? I just wish that there was true love, that there were soul mates. That's what I've always wanted, someone who'll stay with me forever. Too bad it doesn't exist except in faerie tales... I'm not asking for perfection, just someone who'd be good to me. But are men really capable of that? If you hear my mother talk, my father was wonderful, but where did that get her? She gave up everything, and he _**still** _left her, with twins on top of it. Kuririn _could _be the one meant for me, but how would I know? Trying to make excuses for someone I barely know doesn't mean anything..._

"Do you _really_ think my father would let me out of the house wearing _this_? What the fuck are you smoking _now_? Or maybe you've moved onto snorting cocaine, and that's why your genius IQ seems to be dropping at an incredible rate," demanded ChiChi sarcastically of Buruma. Juuhachi raised her eyebrow at her friend's blouse. It actually showed...skin?!

"Chi, its like the _most _modest thing I own! Just because you show some skin doesn't mean you're not chaste, or does your father not notice this isn't the medieval era?" Buruma stopped ChiChi from pulling up the off-the-shoulder black blouse so that it covered her breasts entirely. "I mean, look at me!" She twirled experimentally, showing off her pair of baggy pants that sat low on the hips and tight across the ass, and a low cut, midriff baring, sleeveless shirt that was so tight that it appeared painted on if one didn't look close enough. Both were of ebony, and they made for a striking contrast against her milky complexion.

"Bah, ChiChi, you look beautiful, not slutty," Juuhachi laughed. "Besides, you look really nice in that shirt, it makes your breasts look almost as big as Buruma's, while mine remain pitifully small in comparison." She ended without much remorse. She liked her body. It was a nicely proportioned figure, although on a smaller scale then either of her friends, but it made for easier fighting; if her two friends were to try, she knew they'd most likely end up binding their chests so that their breasts couldn't get in their way. She _was_ beautiful, she knew this, or rather, she was told it often enough that it didn't matter what she really thought. However...it was a lithe and sleek, feline sort of beauty, as opposed to ChiChi's soft and sweet womanly curves, or Buruma's lush overripe temptations. But still, at times, especially when she mentally compared herself to her friends, as all women do...she felt somewhat insecure. She felt gangly and all limbs when measured up to others, though it only irritated her deep inside. "Those pants make your ass look really good too..."

"But what about my legs, eh Juu? Ahh well...those have always been your strong suit anyway." ChiChi complimented her friend in return, and mumbled something under her breath about the horrors of unchecked cellulite.

"I kind of think Goku's an ass man anyway...so you needn't worry too much," Juuhachi remarked slyly. ChiChi spluttered and spat some of the soda she had just sipped across the room.

"As much as I hate to break up your little love fest, we have to be there around ten and it's 'most that now..." Buruma smirked as she patted her hair in front of the mirror. "Damn, am I smokin' hot tonight!"

Juuhachi and ChiChi rolled their eyes at Buruma's self-centered vanity, and ChiChi pulled on a large sweater over her shirt, which she would remove when they got to their destination. All three of them gathered their purses and hoped to sneak down the stairs and out the front door without running into ChiChi's father, who was still at home.

"_ChiChi_! _Where are you three going so late_?!" Mau Gyuu was a large, hulking man of about fifty-five, and he towered over all three girls like a giant, standing to the right of the front door, and blocking their exit as surely as if he had barricaded it.

_Bah, you'd think someone like him would be out picking up women on a Friday night. _She flicked her blond hair over one shoulder.

ChiChi opened her mouth to answer but Buruma was faster. In one fluid motion she flung her arms wide, tittering in a perfect imitation of her mother, and knocking ChiChi to the side. She knew ChiChi couldn't lie to her father, or hold up to his penetrating gaze. "Oh we're going to go see a movie at Maylin Sayue Theater, and then we're going back to my house to spend the night. My momma is gonna give us manicures and pedicures, and then we're going to make some brownies, you know how us girls love chocolate, don't you Mau-san?" She giggled vapidly.

Mau Gyuu studied them closely for a minute and relaxed. "It is good that you're finally starting to act like a real girl, Buruma, I thought you'd turn into an old maid because of your obsession with those stupid machines. No sane man would go for a woman who couldn't accept being in the place where she _should_ be: _in_ the home and _with_ the children. You may go this time, ChiChi, but next time I will not be so lenient. You _will_ tell me of your plans beforehand so that I may make sure they are proper for a girl your age." Buruma's face hardened for a second, her eyes glinting, but then she laughed. His lips quirked upwards slightly, different from his usual look of stolid hollowness, and he asked about ChiChi's boyfriend, watching carefully for her response.

"Georgie's ok, I guess..." ChiChi spoke the words woodenly.

"Must I remind you, '_ChiChi-san_' that he is George Henry Worthington-West III, second cousin to the Crown Prince, and fourth in the line for succession! You will treat him with the respect and honor he deserves, being your better as royalty and a man. But, of course your inferior feminine intellect couldn't comprehend anything beyond pretty dresses and stupid boyfriends," he snorted derisively, "Don't you understand that if –-_when_–- you wed him, you will make us part of the royal family?! You could possibly be queen someday because of that, what I've always brought you up to be. His father is simply a business colleague to me now, but think of what connections there would be for Julian and I if we were as close as blood?! You will please him, above and beyond what you have been trained to be, if necessary."

ChiChi gasped as she realized the implications of what her father meant, her cheeks flaming. "Yes sir..." The cool monotone of her voice and her stiff movements made her seem almost artificial; a doll-child pawn in the great game of chess her father commanded.

"Good girl, I will make you worthy of my house yet." He stepped aside to let them pass.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Buruma stared at her friend, horrified. "How can you stand him Chi?! I mean, my dad wants me to take over Capsule Corp. someday, but its not like he'd force me into it!" She asked incredulously, eyes still wide.

"Not to mention he basically asked her to sell her body to some sick, inbred bastard in exchange for power, and in front of her friends!" Juuhachi intoned, her eyes chilly.

"I'm counting the days until I can go off to college. With my brains and his money, I should be able to go anywhere I want...I've already begged him to let me, the only reason he's going to is because the current queen has her degree. Then I can get the hell out of this town and never come back, ever." The last four words were spoken like a vow reaffirmed.

"Well..." Buruma broke the silence that had sprung up between the three as they walked down ChiChi's expansive driveway. "We should really get going, and try and forget about all of that." She grinned wolfishly at ChiChi, and de-capsuled her car, a pure black convertible that was sure to have a souped up engine.

ChiChi blanched. "Oh, no, no no no! I am not letting you drive, last week I practically had a heart attack when we swerved past that tractor-trailer!" She shuddered visibly. "Save it for the race track!"

"Come on Chi," Juuhachi smirked at her apprehensive friend. "Besides, if you die, then your father will have to marry George himself!" They pushed ChiChi into the car, much to ChiChi's displeasure.

"Yeah Chi, where's your sense of adventure?" Buruma grinned and then hit the gas pedal, hard and fast. The car took off with a crescendo of piercing screeches, both from the tires and ChiChi's lips.

* * *

Kuririn paced nervously in front of the temple door. He really hoped his grandfather was as heavy of a sleeper as he was proported to be. He wasn't supposed to be out after midnight, and if he got caught, heaven knows what his father, or god forbid, his mother would do if they got ahold of him. He scratched frantically at his neck under the collar of his training robes, the itchiness of the fabric made all the more worse with the anticipation of punishment. He wondered how his companions could keep so cool. Vejiita, he supposed, wouldn't care even if he was caught. Goku's grandfather was ill enough that he was bedridden much of the time, but not so bad that he needed constant care through the night. There was no way he would know. And, Kuririn chuckled to himself, it would take a lobotomy for Radditzu to chide his brother for staying out late with three 'lovely' ladies. Perhaps that was what was kicking him into overdrive. He couldn't really say he was scared of any of the three girls...at least when it came to his personal safety. Buruma made him nervous with her blatant sexuality, though he personally thought she was just a tease because of all the conflicting rumors floating around. ChiChi wasn't really strong enough to do much damage, unless of course one counted eardrums. Juuhachi though strong, probably couldn't and if she could, _wouldn't _beat him....to...death. She definitely was strong for a female, though. He tugged at his collar, feeling the sweat start to collect in the fabric at the back of his neck.

Goku chewed happily on one of a batch of double chocolate chip cookies he'd baked in his Home Economics: An In-depth Study of Culinary Arts course that morning. Noticing Kuririn pacing, he quirked an eyebrow and bestowed upon his friend the highest of honors: he held out a cookie with an offering gesture. Kuririn refused, responding,

"I don't really feel like cleaning puke off the shrine steps this late at night."

Goku swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing as he gulped down the last of his milk. "Why're you so nervous, I know you're scared of girls, but usually you're not about to blow chunks." He cocked his head to the side like an inquisitive bird, and his eyes shone darkly in the moonlight. "Is it because you like one of them?"

"That's positively amazing, Kakkarott, you've actually managed to point out the obvious without having it hammered into you through repetitive explanations. The planets must have aligned or something equally miraculous. Next you'll be telling me one plus one is two and _actually understand it_!"

Goku irritably looked over his shoulder at his friend, but took no offense at the insult. "I've told you Vejiita, my name _isn't_ Kakkarott. I'm getting it changed as soon as I'm eighteen. My name is _Goku_, and it'll always be _Goku_. I want no part in the name my _so-called-parents_ gave me." He spoke softly, but with a force that went against his usually placidity.

"So you would continue deny all ties to our ancestors?" Vejiita hissed, referring to the fact both he and Goku were descended from the fierce warrior tribes of the south western part of the great continent. "I won't! No matter how far you try to run from it, no matter how much you twist and turn, it is there, it is part of you. _We_ are warriors, born and bred, and no matter how much you play with you fucking pots and pans will ever change that. I will call you by your _real_ name, not the pathetic semblance of one you choose to hide behind."

Goku ignored him for the time being, and simply asked cheekily, "Which one do you like Kuririn? Is it Buruma? She _does_ look a lot like Maron..."

Seeing the murderous look on Vejiita's face at the mention of the blue-haired girl, Kuririn quickly responded without thinking, "Buruma? Ahhh, no way! Maron was a complete idiot anyway. Besides, she was all boobs and I," he blushed scarlet, "I kinda...go more for legs..."

"It's obviously the blond then, Kakkarott, before you kill more of what little braincells you have by trying to decipher that little puzzle." Vejiita smirked as he scratched his nose.

"N-n-no way!" Kuririn stuttered, "She creeps me out! Besides, with Kala and mom I have enough girl trouble already." Vejiita and Goku apparently either completely disregarded Kuririn's statement, or didn't believe him, and Kuririn exasperatedly placed all his bets on the latter.

"So, did you get everything ready for tonight?" Vejiita turned his hungry gaze upon the unlucky Goku, stole the unfortunate boy's remaining cookie and shoved it into his mouth.

"Yeah," Goku replied, looking mournfully at Vejiita's mouth, and whispering a silent prayer for the dearly departed pastry. "I got Piccolo to come by and set up his projection thingies..."

"Uh, Goku, which one of us is supposed to run it if we all have to be in the graveyard for the bet?" Kuririn scratched his head absently. He really didn't approve of their, or rather Vejiita's plan, to be more specific.

"Piccolo is! He said he'd sooner let a car run over his equipment than let us use it..." Goku answered sadly, but not about Piccolo's gibe because he was still lamenting the loss of his cookie. He'd saved the best, absolutely magnificent, most incredibly orgasmic cookie for the end....and Vejiita had eaten it!

Vejiita scowled at Goku's comment, but simply beaned him over the head, smirked and said, "So all we have to do is lead those unsuspecting bitches into the graveyard, wait for midnight, and that asshole, weakling greenie will take care of the rest....wow, you managed not to fuck this one up Kakkarott." With that, the sounds of screeching were heard from the road below, and soon after, following some low curses and a shriek, the girls appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Looks like you didn't chicken out after all," Vejiita eyed them dangerously. "We never did decide, what do we would get when we win this little bet of yours?"

"You'll be treating **_us_** out to dinner when **_we_** win, someplace nice too, not a stupid burger joint." Buruma smiled challengingly at Vejiita, and gestured to Kuririn to lead the way. It was because of this that Juuhachi noticed him as they began the five minute walk from the shrine on top of the hill to the graveyard that bordered it.

"My God..." Juuhachi stared in wonder and then began to cackle crazily. "What in the **_fuck_** are you wearing?!"

Kuririn laughed nervously and blushed, though it wasn't too apparent in the low light that shone down on them from the full moon. "It's my um, err...training robes."

The girls sank down in unison to sit on the large stone bench that was placed near the gates for people coming to visit the graves of the deceased. Kuririn and Goku sprawled themselves on the grass, while Vejiita scowled and leaned against the chilly wrought iron fence, crossing his arms over his chest. It was ten-thirty by that point, the girls having arrived 'fashionably late' and the next hour or so went by in relative silence, with only a few whispered giggles coming from the three females. Kuririn noticed how all three were dressed, and figured Buruma had had a hand in it, judging from the level of sex-appeal. He could tell Goku and Vejiita had noticed also, judging from the fleeted glances they were giving the benched women. It was too bad the girls hadn't counted on the self-discipline needed for martial arts, though Juuhachi should have known. But still, he grinned, it was an attractive showing. Much to his surprise, he'd discovered that ChiChi had more of a figure than he'd suspected. She usually didn't show off her body like this, and that fact was emphasized by the way she kept fidgeting with her clothing.

It was around eleven fifty-five that Buruma pulled out a silver lighter that was engraved with interlocking B's and a cigarette, pausing only to ask, "Is it alright with everyone if I smoke?" yet not really caring about the response.

"Ugh, that's disgusting!" Goku announced, holding his nose.

Buruma glared at him. "Well for your information, you fucking health nut, it's a free world and **_I can smoke if and where I want to!_** Maybe if I'm feeling nice I won't blow it in your direction!" She clicked her lighter and quickly leaned into it, lighting the cigarette that was held between her front teeth.

Goku was about to reply with 'Why did you ask if you could then, if you were going to anyway!' when the clock tower bells rang across the silent outskirts of the city, signaling that it was finally midnight.

"The witching hour," Buruma whispered, standing up, taking a last drag from the cigarette, and putting it out on the ground by grinding her sneaker over it.

"See, I told you this stupid story wasn't true, and I almost got in big trouble tonight for...." ChiChi trailed off, eyes widening as she pointed a trembling finger over the heads of the still-seated Goku and Kuririn. The two jumped up and turned around as six pairs of eyes focused in horror at the image before them.

A solitary, glowing and, most startling of all, _transparent_ figure dressed in a long gown was slowly walking toward them, holding out its hands beseechingly.

_Man, Piccolo sure outdid himself this time... _Kuririn contemplated with devilish glee, the little naughty boy he had been rising from his hiding place deep inside the teen. The girls looked absolutely terrified. Just then, his pocket rang, announcing that someone was calling him. He flicked open the silver phone. "Yello?"

"Kuririn," a moody-sounding Piccolo grumbled on the other end.

"Hey Piccolo, you're doing a great job on the effects!" Kuririn laughed, momentarily oblivious in his glee to the fact that he was the closest to ChiChi.

"Effects?!" ChiChi growled menacingly, calling his attention back to her.

"That's what I'm calling about Kuririn," Piccolo announced sourly, "Sorry I couldn't tell you earlier, I got grounded and was in the middle of a lecture for the better part of the past _five_ hours." Kuririn grimaced. "I'm not there, so Goku or Vejiita must have gotten someone else to show up there to run it in case I didn't show up..."

"**_What?!_**" Kuririn barked into the phone. "**_What do you mean you're not here?!_**"

"If Piccolo isn't there, who's running the machine, I mean, I didn't ask anyone else to run it just in case...neither did Vejiita!" Goku's eyes had widened so much that one couldn't see his eyelids, and Vejiita, wild-eyed, shook his head no.

"Uh, guys, if there's no machine," Buruma croaked tonelessly, her voice quivering, "What's that?!" She pointed towards the old grounds keeper's shed, where a glowing figure paced before the door.

"**_It's Derrick!_**" ChiChi screamed, petrified. "**_He's come to take us to the spirit world!_**" She started to shriek mindlessly then, and Buruma grabbed her hand. They ran howling in terror, closely followed by a similarly indisposed Juuhachi, Kuririn and Goku. Vejiita uttered not a sound. Upon reaching the shrine that was also the home of Kuririn's grandfather, Buruma flung open the unlocked door and slammed it closed again after everyone had come in. Goku locked it feverishly and sat down hard, leaning all his weight against it, while he breathed heavily. They all edged back away from Kuririn nervously, hearing the voice of his grandfather stab through the shadows.

"Kuririn? What're you doing here and what's going on?! And um, who are these people?" He blinked owlishly at them, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Ummmm...uhhhhh" Kuririn faultered, trying to keep the shit from hitting the fan for just a few more seconds.

"Speak up boy!"

"We wanted to see if the legends about the spirits were true!" spitting out the words forcefully, he tugged once more on the collar of his training robes.

"And now you've found out for yourselves that the legend is not any more a lie than you or I are?"

"Yes," they chorused collectively.

"You children should know better than to get caught up in the affairs of immortals, it'll cause you nothing but trouble!" He spoke with an air of experience.

"Yes, Sir." They all spoke as one, and Goku looked down, apprehensively rubbing the toe of his shoe against the polished wooden floor.

"I should call all of your parents right now..."

"Oh please Sir," ChiChi interjected, "not that, please...**_anything_** but **_that!_**" She looked up at him, pleading with her soft brown eyes.

"But...I won't." They all sighed in relief. "I was just like you children when I was your age...I sneaked out to see if the legend was true. My grandfather caught _me_ too, when I came in screaming like a banshee in my terror, just like you've done now. Now he," Grandfather Yukio paused, scratching his beard, "he didn't tell my parents on me either. He said, that if I had courage then the other thing I needed was discipline, and he set me to work doing chores around the shrine. And that's what I'm gonna do. I may not alert your parents, but you _will_ _all_ have to come here and work for me for the next three months. You'll come every Saturday and help me out around the shrine, I'm not getting any younger, you know!" He chuckled.

"**_Three months?!_**" Vejiita gaped at him.

"You're lucky I don't make it _six_ months! I wasn't out there with a bunch of girls!" He gestured almost imperceptibly towards the door. "Now you children get along now, and don't forget to be here by nine o'clock tomorrow!"

They all filed out, mumbling to themselves. Vejiita would not become angered by Piccolo's flaky behavior, nor would Buruma moodily discover their show had had no affect on the boys, until the next morning. For now, they were simply happy to escape. Kuririn tried to sneak out with the rest of the group, but his grandfather snatched his wrist.

"Except you, Kuririn..." Kuririn gulped visibly. "You disobeyed your parents by staying out past midnight, but what I'm more disappointed in is your abuse of my trust. In addition to those extra chores, you will preform the Ceremony of Abstinence, by yourself, for one month."

"Yes Sir!" Kuririn walked almost happily out the door, glad he was getting off so easy. He wrinkled his nose. He didn't like the Ceremony of Abstinence, which involved ritual fasting while sitting in front of a platter of food to show his resolve to evil spirits and to offer the provisions to good ones. He hated it the most, but then, if his grandfather had completed it every Sunday for the past fifty years, he could do it for four times in a row. Besides, it would prepare him for the day he would take over the shrine himself, though that would be awhile; he knew his father would take over when he retired. Plus, his mother would have a good meal for him at the end of the day, when he could finally eat.

"Kids these days," Grandfather Yukio shook his head sadly.

"I think they may be the ones, Yukio, and then we can finally be together..."

"Do you think so, Iris?" He turned to look at the stunningly beautiful, shimmering woman before him. Her silver hair glinted in the moonlight and framed her unlined face. She was as beautiful as the day he'd met her, when she'd come to meet him to see...if he was one of the fated ones He hadn't been, but it was love at first sight. He loved her still. His wife had borne him a son, and he had be quite fond of her, but it wasn't the burning passion he had for this one...._woman _he'd seen only a couple times before in person. Mostly, they communicated through his dreams.

"When I cast the spell, I didn't think they'd have to wait this long. I believed that there were mortals that would recognize their true loves, even if I was called foolish. To think that it would be your grandson who will be one to help break the spell...well, now I can see why I thought you would be one."

"Are you still bitter that I married another?" He wished to hear her answer spoken from her own lips, face to face, for once.

"No...at my age, comes wisdom. By marrying her, you got a beautiful family while you were still young. There was no feasible way for us to be together while the spell remained unbroken. I am bound as helplessly as they are. Only when they are joined can we be."

"Do you truly think it will come to an end?"

She smiled fondly at him. "Yes, and then we shall be together, my love...forever." Pressing her lips to his in a phantom kiss, she started to fade before his eyes. He snatched out to her, only to see his hand go though. He'd forgotten she was merely a shade in her current condition. "I must go now, for the spell grows greater the closer to daybreak it is. Farewell...until we meet again, Beloved..." She closed her eyes and disappeared completely.

* * *

Kuririn cursed as he climbed the trellis outside his window. He couldn't risk going inside any other way. _Damn roses_... he thought grumpily to himself, almost slipping when he yawned uncontrollably.

"Mommeee! Daddeee! Kuririn's not in his bed!" his sister screeched from inside the house.

_Oh no! Damn Kala!_ He'd forgotten about his sister's almost constant spying on him. The stupid brat had been doing it ever since she could walk. He supposed it was some sort of displaced revenge for having to come out of their mother's womb. _How positively Freudian! _He scrambled in his window, tore off his clothes, leaped on the bed and pretended to snore. Just then, the door opened, and his parents entered with his sister trailing behind them.

"Kala! Kuririn is here, fast asleep! The poor dear must be so tired..." His tiny but pretty mother scolded her youngest child.

"You have to stop lying to us, sweetheart," Orinji Yotan shook his finger at Kala as he stared down at her from his great height.

"**_But-but-but..._**"

"No buts, now get back into bed!" His parents ushered the bewildered Kala out of the room, closing the door softly behind them. Kuririn sighed in relief.

_Whew! That was a close one. But damn if it wasn't worth it _just _to one-up Kala! That brat's always trying to get me in...trou..ble..._ He drifted off to sleep.

However, the surprise Kala got was nothing compared to the one Kuririn got the next morning...


End file.
